[DreadBringer]

I know that you're saying that this thread's going to be different. But I didn't expect it to be so different, though I've seen similar type of KR discussion which is done in dialogues like this, like the Reaction Posts/Commentary section (but is significantly more minor, it wasn't what I was promoting) in my link at signature. It'll be likely more random for me to choose what to respond here, there'd be no way I'm responding to every single one here.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

For our first episode, let’s get to know this thread’s DECADE enthusiast, ZATYME!

KAMEN RIDER DECADE EPISODE 1 - “RIDER WAR”

A blistering introduction to the World of Decade. It’s an apocalypse from the jump, as Tsukasa’s life of bad/prophetic/allegorical photography gives way to an army of Heisei monsters that are as eager to devour each other as they are to obliterate Japan. Tsukasa and Natsumi struggle through multiple barren landscapes and/or Kamen Rider landmarks (it starts in a quarry!!!), using the power of the Heisei Riders to keep from being killed. But can the power of Kamen Rider Decade save reality, or will Tsukasa end up destroying it? And are those two options maybe the same thing?

Oh right, the big war sequence as opening which later Gaim kinda replicates here. Though Decade is iirc less received than other series in the franchise, doesn't mean every single thing should be viewed the same way, and I'd view Decade's big war sequence better than Gaim, but not only due to the varied participants (tbf for Gaim, the participants and non-participants are deeply plot related too) like the abundance of Riders and also their assistants like the Contract Monsters, DenLiner, Castle Doran, etc. but also the varied ability the pariticpants use like Zolda's Final Vent.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

ZATYME: but yeah Tsukasa has so many different sides to him in the first episode, we see that he's not really malicious with his poor photography but also doesn't care about basically duping people into helping him try to improve, he kind of has a Ryotaro or Wataru chew toy thing going on with Natsumandarin while also being fairly protective and heroic hot having any ulterior motive beyond wanting to save Natsumikan
but we also see a bit of Tendou's ego slip through in his body language primarily and considering his main gimmick as a rider is becoming all of his predecessors it feels like it fits that he also takes after them in terms of his character traits
also the fact that despite not knowing what's going on with the Decade thing he instinctively knows not only how to use the Decadriver but what rider power is best for what type of monster while also realizing that he shouldn't be expending these powers as fast as he is and that something isn't right with that implying on a subconscious level he's intimately familiar with them

KAMEN RIDER DIE: The weirdest thing to me is how - and I love that take on Tsukasa as a composite Rider - it all adds up to Tsukasa being, like, Kamen Rider Everyman? I'm used to his later appearances (Movie Wars, Wizard) where Decade is this all-knowing mystery man. Here, he's just... basic? He's self-involved, but not a dick. He's heroic, but more in a I Don't Want The World To End Because I Live There sort of way. He's relatable, which is completely not the word I thought I'd use to describe Tsukasa. He's an okay dude? Am I getting that right, at this point in his story?r

Tsukasa... I won't talk about later parts, but he's usually lumped together with Tendou, including the dick traits (and like you said it's probably also him blaming Wataru for not giving), for good reasons (that'd mean no way he would be Kamen Rider Everyman. Example of Everyman KR is someone like Shinji in Ryuki). But at least in this episode, I got different feelings in watching him, other than his skills of dodging the complainers about his photo result. Tsukasa here seems to be more emotional, frustrated, and less composed in ways of things work, which is like you said, can be a more relatable and human traits of responding on how things work - I mean his photography is his only weakness, otherwise he's an expert in everything like Tendou, but at least in 1st episode, Tsukasa doesn't seem to be perfect, like Zatyme said he has chew toy stuff going on. This is all assumptions, but if you'd hope for the world to be ruined by Tsukasa's genial nature, then how would you want for Tsukasa to react to it?

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: But that's the thing - I wouldn't call it plain? It's more like he's trying not to get in the way, trying not to overshadow the premise. He's, like, being a good host? I don't know. I'm sure he'll get weirder as the show goes on -slash- his hair gets longer, as is the arc of every lead Rider for a series.
But on the topic of Natsumi!

While Natsumandarin is Tsukasa's nickname of her, iirc Natsumelon nickname comes from her looks, regarding how busty she is, as Kanna Mori (her actress) is a model. But I don't want for characters to be loved and valued simply due to their looks which, at least in my region, Natsumelon can get that treatment. I.. actually don't get where Natsumi is compared with Hana here. Hana never showed any meanness towards Ryotaro (to humans in general mostly too) even when guiding him, she sits with him, talks to him, and tries to help, without something like putting him down or such. While Natsumi does show some aggressiveness towards Tsukasa, like her berating him or using her family secret technique (physically harming him). Unless the comparison is also about Hana to the Imagins instead of the lead Rider then.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: I really loved the second half of this episode!
It's all chaos and chases and form changes and monsters

While you claim you'd be focus more on character arcs and small dramatic moments, but the 2nd half here is primarily also about the action/effects part, though I'd agree on this too of being amazing. Yes there's a clever usage of the second half world usage like the Worm masquerading as Natsumi, though I'd think there's not much on Kiva part other than the victims turned transparent. And true it does feel more catastrophic than usual, where it can be just usual monster attack but with different kind of monsters instead of just one kind of monster like usual. For you refering to Natsumi's escape as 'personal' is it because of the monsters attack directly experienced to her and that she's the one in danger instead of other civilians (except one of them at Kiva part, for the Faiz part it's Orphnochs who are reduced to dust iirc after being killed)? The Decade fights here, it seems to hint for Tsukasa's expertise in everything but photography, to quickly master the Ride Cards. The Earth merging part reminds me of Build's ending.... except that it actually has 'realistic' consequence of causing apocalypse instead.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER DIE: Maybe the only thing that doesn't work for me on Decade's suit is the shoulders, but I always always always have a problem with a suit's shoulders. Decade's are a little too boxy, a little too floppy. Not nearly as slick as streamlined as everything else on his suit.
But I dig it. I like his Driver, I like the collectibles, I like how he's got a little binder he keeps them in like a proper nerd, I like the way the Decadriver opens and closes for different moves... I really like the Decadriver's kineticism. It's tactile in a way that's my preference for Kamen Rider.
And the suit is silky smooth. I like how the colors move horizontally, like the lines on the mask. The symmetry of the colors works against the asymmetry of the X on the torso, and that's very eye-catching. The right amount of friction.
I guess, on the topic of friction and whatnot, we can maybe talk about this episode's Very Special Guest Star, and the mission he gives Tsukasa.
I was not expecting to see Wataru today! Even if he's, like, Cosmic Wataru or whatever, but still!

I probably can't talk about this yet, but like you said yeah, there's no way to get Joe Odagiri back, so it forms Decade's direction later. Otherwise, not much to say about the Kuuga part, other than there's an girl who's in action, which Kuuga doesn't employ this; they contribute not directly on battlefield. I know the one that exposits to Tsukasa is Koji Seto, but I'm not sure if it's Wataru due to how drastically different and unrelated his role is here, but after looked it up, yeah it's actually Wataru. I still don't understand yet for Wataru to be turned into that, it can seem OOC, but not in terms of personality but role; I'm not as thrilled as you guys here for that.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Doing the pre-show chats with everyone, I found that Decade was a lot of people's first Rider shows, which I still can't wrap my head around. It's like making Endgame your first Marvel movie. None of the shocking returns make any sense! There're a million monsters and heroes from other shows! Wataru is in this, and you'd only understand why that's cool if you watched Kiva! AND THAT'S ONLY IN THE FIRST EPISODE! Watching Decade first is so backwards to how my brain works, and I love that you all think it's normal. So fun to see that perspective and hear that logic.

Well, MCU movie. There are non-MCU Marvel movies, and I'm afraid of people complaining about the differences between those settings due to thinking that everything that is based off Marvel comic books are the same; like the ones from Fox Century to Marvel Studios' (bruh, the sick intro has big STUDIOS logo there now) ones. But yeah, there's a video reaction from someone who had Endgame as first MCU movie, which yeah, it'd be an unfair view of the movie, and there's a "everyone have their own opinions" belief, but I won't tolerate the free pass to talk whatever they want based on misinformation and hate rather than facts, though of course you still have to explain it amicably, and even then there's still those who after that, still accuses someone who explains that they might be incorrect about something as shaming them for "giving personal opinion" and are trying to oppress them, I'd think that's abusing the "everyone have their own opinions" belief.

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Originally Posted by TheRaizin

I tend to rank Tsukasa up there in my favorites, alongside Tendou.

Just asking, I know you'd probably also long for more of that type of protagonist, but would you be the type to insist that protagonists should always be made to be like them? (those 2 are together common favorites yes I know).